


The Best Worst Day Ever!

by EgyptianDreamer



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Bullying, Couldn't resist it being him, F/M, Junior Ranger Scouts - Freeform, OC: Jaden Wolfson, One-Shot, Post Movie, judy - Freeform, nick - Freeform, wildehopps
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-01
Updated: 2017-03-01
Packaged: 2018-09-27 14:59:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10026953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EgyptianDreamer/pseuds/EgyptianDreamer
Summary: After completing their shift, Nick and Judy are making their way home when a distraught wolf cub catches their attention. What he tells them hits them both hard. But they're determined to turn the worst night of the cub's life into the best.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I know the Junior Ranger Scouts thing has been done a lot but I couldn't resist doing one myself.

"I swear these shifts get longer and longer."

Judy rolled her eyes in amusement at her partner's complaining. It was nothing new of course, Nick was always quick to complain when there was a lack of coffee and mountains of paper work involved. She didn't blame him a bit though of course. It wasn't anything she enjoyed either, paper work was right up there with parking duty in her opinion. An opinion Nick shared she'd learned when he and she along with him was given the task on a day when the fox had gotten especially under the Chief's skin. Did that stop him from using his snark and intentionally riling the Chief? Of course not. But it did tell him when to tone it down and back off the perpetually ticked off water buffalo. Usually he'd pick on the other officers after he'd stop bothering the Chief. But they all had a relatively good sense of humor and patience with the vulpine which meant he got bored quickly with them. Then he'd pick on her or chat with Clawhauser for a bit. He would eventually get back to his paper work and miraculously get it done, she guessed he just needed a break from it from time to time during those shifts.

"Don't be a drama king, Nick. Every officer has to do paper work."

"Madame, I'll have you know that this is real issues. No mammal should endure such torture without the blessing of the Gods that is caffeine. It's not right!"

She giggled as he went about his usual dramatic routine, a paw on his heart as if she had wounded him as he "admonished" her. This had become routine as well and she knew it was only a matter of seconds before he joined in her laughter. Sure enough, soft chuckles joined in with her amused chorus until they both quieted and he stared through the window on the passenger side while she watched the road as she drove the small car.

It probably looked strange, two uniformed officers driving around in a small Nissan just big enough to fit their respective heights comfortably. If that is the tinted windows and windshield didn't keep them from being seen from those outside the car. Nick and Judy had gone in together to get the car brand new when their tax checks came in and it helped that Nick knew just how to get a good deal on it. It had taken a good bit of fast talking from both Nick and the salesmammal, but the sly fox had eventually bartered his way into paying a small portion of the sales price.

He'd known what to look for, for their apartment too, the ones that needed a little work done were always cheaper and usually in convenient locations as well. They only paid a little over three-hundred a month for their one bedroom, but spacious apartment. Cost to fix it up was only a little over two thousand. Best of all it was in a quiet and friendly neighborhood with open minded mammals that didn't bat an eye when learning that the rabbit and fox were in a relationship. Some were indifferent about it while others were downright accepting.

Judy let out a happy sigh as she came to a stop at a traffic light and looked over to her partner. He had heard the soft sound and turned a smile at her, but then something caught his eye and the smile dropped as his focus turned across the street. She frowned in confusion and followed his gaze, concern instantly over taking the happiness when seeing a wolf cub on the other side crying. But while a crying and alone cub was cause enough for concern, she knew why Nick had lost his smile so quickly. The cub wore a forest green uniform complete with a little cap and a red neckerchief. But the uniform was now ruined by splotches of paint in various different colors. No doubt Nick was reminded of his own experience with the kids that had mistreated him and going by the kids chasing the crying cub with water balloons which were what was likely filled with that paint, this poor cub was having a similar experience.

"Poor cub, I wonder if they tried to muzzle him too before he got away.."

"We have to do something, Nick! They're bullying that poor boy!"

"This is why I love you, Carrots."

She turned her eyes away from the crying cub and would have switched the siren on if they had one. But for once she didn't pay much attention to traffic law and sped around the round about while watching for pedestrians. Thankfully no one was coming and she didn't careen into anyone though there was a very close call once. The driver of the other vehicle made sure to show his displeasure with a loud honk as they passed. But Judy wasn't paying any attention to the irate driver and only slowed when they got to the road where they'd seen the kids. Nick was the first to spot them and called her attention to them.

"There they are. Looks like they have the little guy cornered."

"Not for long," she replied and parked, throwing the car into park and jumping out.

Nick shut the car off and grabbed the keys before joining her on the sidewalk and making their way towards the group of kids. As they got closer, what they were saying was getting clearer. Each insult was designed to be more and more hurtful as they laughed at the young wolf. It was a zebra that was about to throw another paint filled balloon at the shaking cub, but the balloon never flew toward it's target. The zebra blinked in confusion then tilted his head back to look up when he noticed a shadow over him. The other kids seemed to notice the new mammals with them in the same moment and all of them gaped at the officers standing there. There wasn't one mammal in the city who didn't know them.

"Is there a problem here?" Nick asked, holding the balloon in one paw. His eyes scanned each child in turn as he asked the question and finally landed on the wolf who was staring back in surprise. "Are you alright son?" he asked the boy.

The wolf whimpered and sniffled in response before darting out of the corner to hide behind Judy who was glaring at the group of boys in disapproval.

"Is there a particular reason why you were throwing paint balloons at this cub?" she asked, voice full of authority. "It looks to me like he's scared. I'm having trouble seeing a reason for this."

"He tried to join our group. No pred belongs there!" one of the boys, a tan skinned, horse colt replied.

"Isn't that up to your scout master to decide? You can't do this to someone just because you have an opinion that they don't belong," Nick answered and Judy could tell that he was trying to keep from growling. She was right before, he was remembering what happened to him.

"What are you going to do about it? We're too young to go to jail!" the horse colt spoke up again.

"But you're not too young for juvenile hall," Judy answered.

That shut the colt up and made the other boys of the group look at each other in fear until one by one they let the balloons drop from their hold. Each splat against the pavement made the cub hiding behind Judy flinch and her sensitive ears picked up a whimper every time as well. It made her anger for the other boys grow and made her wonder just what their parents were teaching them. It also made sadness fill her heart for the scared boy as well as made her notice he hadn't spoken a word against the group. He hadn't bared his teeth and hadn't even so much as tried to push them away when they arrived. Just like Nick no doubt thought, this boy didn't deserve the treatment he got in the least.

Judy asked Nick to take the cub back to the car, telling him to "get his statement" while Judy took out her carrot pen and retrieved a small notepad of her own from her belt. She flipped to a clean page and asked the boys to give their names and phone numbers as well as the Scout Master's name. They were reluctant to give their information until she told them that not doing so would only get them in more trouble and they'd find the information anyway. That was all she'd needed to say.

***************************************

Nick opened the door for the sniffling cub who had followed him without any prompt from Nick to do so. Nick had learned on the way to the car that the cub's name was Jaden Wolfson. He had wanted to join the Junior Ranger Scouts to make a difference like his big brother who he said was a soldier. Nick's heart hurt worse and worse the more he heard from the cub and he felt his anger growing at the group of boys even more as well. Not only them, but the ones who had wronged him so long ago. He had thought he'd gotten past that, but all it took was seeing it happen to another little boy to bring that old pain and anger back to the front of his mind. And it only got worse when the boy asked what he was doing wrong. When he asked what he had done wrong to deserve what he got.

The fox gently put his paw on the cub's shoulder and gave a soft squeeze then wrapped his arms around him when the boy threw himself at him and began sobbing. Nick had never been one good with emotions or helping mammals who were emotional. So all he could do was try to comfort the boy as he rubbed his paw up and down his back. It was best to let the cub get it all out and while he did, Nick assured him that he had done nothing wrong and that some mammals were just mean. No one knew why mammals were mean spirited, could be troubles at home, insecurity, or any number of things. But it wasn't the fault of the one they picked on.

Soon after the cub's sobs quieted to sniffles and hiccups and Nick leaned over to grab the small packets of tissues that he and Judy kept in the car. He offered the packet to the cub who took it gratefully and assured the boy he had nothing to sorry for when the wolf pup apologized. Jaden seemed to be grateful for this and sniffled again as he wiped his eyes free of his tears.

"Officer Wilde, can I ask you something?"

"I don't know, can you?"

Jaden responded to the tease with surprise at first and then a wide, toothy grin spread across his muzzle followed by a giggle. It was a relief to see a smile come across the small wolf's face, no child should have to endure the pain he'd been in that day.

"Do you think I can be an officer too when I grow up or a soldier?" Jaden asked hopefully.

The question didn't surprise him a bit, Jaden had already said he wanted to be a Junior Ranger Scout to make a difference in the world. It made sense that his dream didn't change. If anything it had grown stronger and Nick felt a sense of accomplishment and relief knowing that he and Judy showing up was a big part of that reason. Had an officer been there to stand up for him when he was a kit, if someone had been there to comfort and assure him, Nick had to wonder what would have different about his own life. Looking back on it now, Nick knew he wouldn't change a thing even if he had the chance to go back in time and redo it all. Things had to be that way for all the good in his life to come about he was sure. If he could change anything, but he had to give up being Judy's mate or being an officer, he would pass every time.

"Jaden you can do anything you set your mind to." Strange how he had once scoffed at this very slogan, but now he was quoting it just like Judy had once said to Finnick when she thought he was a kit. "Anyone can be anything. If you want to be an officer or a soldier then you can be an officer or a solider."

"I couldn't have said it better myself," Judy said as she walked over to the pair with a warm smile. "He's right you know? You can do anything you want to do." She smiled at her partner then. "I called their Scout Master, he's over there talking to them now. He said he'll call their parents."

"Thank you, Officer Hopps."

She nodded, her smile growing and put a paw on the cub's shoulder.

"So who wants ice cream? Officer Wilde and I know the perfect place."

\--------------------------------------

Jaden had been all too happy to agree to ice cream and the two officers had treated him to a junior size sundae at Jumbeax Junior's ice cream shop. Surprisingly the cub ate most of it, rivaling even Judy's appetite. He'd laughed in delight when the fox and rabbit regaled him with the story of how the two of them first met in that very ice cream shop and how their partnership first began. Jaden didn't want to leave them after they left the ice cream shop so the officers made a day of it for him. Took him to get a new toy, went to the park and for lunch at the local BugBurga, got him a new outfit so he didn't have to keep wearing the paint stained uniform and the kit had the time of his life.

Judy had already called Jaden's parents to let them know that their son was with them and a brief explanation of what happened. Jaden's mother, Lucinda had tearfully thanked her and asked her to send her thanks along to Nick as well. Judy had agreed and promised to pass it along and did so as they watched Jaden run into a changing room to try on another outfit. The boy came out wearing another new outfit and showed it off to them and they clapped in response. The applause was what he was after, he grinned and dashed back in to change back into the outfit they had already purchased for him.

Their last stop of the day was a photo booth where he begged them to take pictures with him which of course they agreed to. They gave him one strip of the photos and kept the other for themselves, telling him that they would keep it in their cruiser with them so that way it was like he was on the beat with them. That had caused him to ask if he could get a tour of the ZPD, but by that time, it was almost sunset so they told him they had to take him home to his parents who were probably worried about him. They promised to show him around another time though and promised to show up for his show and tell if they weren't too busy on the force.

When they reached the Wolfson home, it became apparent that his parents had been watching the door and windows for any sign of the cub. As soon as Jaden had stepped out of the vehicle with them he was rushed by two adult wolves and two more cubs. It was a pleasant sight to see and Nick and Judy stood back smiling as the young wolf told his family about his day with them. On the way home an hour later, they shared a smile, both knowing that they would remember what the young wolf had said.

"I wouldn't change a thing, this has been the best worst day of my life!"

\-------------------------------------

~FIN~

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for the plot, Jaden, and Jaden's parents.
> 
> Dreamer: I don't know how good it's going to be. I wrote this on no sleep, I've been awake for over twenty-four hours now. Hopefully you guys enjoy it though, let me know what you think. ^^ I'll go back and edit it tomorrow after having a bit of sleep when I re-read it and if I see mistakes or anything. Right now I'm too worn out to focus on much of anything. I hope it's a good read either way.


End file.
